I. Introduction

a. If God is sovereign in history, as the Bible claims Him to be (e.g., Acts 4:28), then His hand is to be seen as guiding history to achieve His purposes.

b. It is the first time here that God's plan of redemption for His people and specifically His promises to Abram intersect with secular, national history.

c. James 2:14 says, “What good is it, my brothers, if someone says he has faith but does not have works? Can that faith save him?”

II. True faith produces love, sympathy and forgiveness that seeks to restore a brother or sister who has fallen into difficulties or sin (vv 1-14).

a. Abram demonstrates a forgiving spirit toward his nephew and seeks to rescue him despite how Lot had treated him.

b. All believers in Christ, are called to exhibit the same sort of forgiveness toward those who have wronged us and commanded to rescue those who have fallen into sin (Gal 6:1). Three principles:

We must separate ourselves from the love of the world (the spiritually matured). We need preparation and wisdom to rescue the fallen brethren. It must base on principle and not results.

III. True faith produces courage (vv 14-16).

a. Abram springs into war with only 318 of his trained men and his allies against a vast army of four powerful kings. He is not a king but just a rancher.

b. God passes no moral disapproval of Abram’s conduct in the Scripture and even awarded him with victory.

c. “I have lifted my hand to the LORD” (v 22) seem to signify a solemn oath promises the Lord that if He would give him success, he would not enrich himself by his campaign. d. It is Abram’s faith in the Lord that He will give him victory that produces his courage. IV. True faith produces humility and loyalty to God (vv 17-24).

a. It was providential that Melchizedek’s appearance interrupted the meeting of Abram and the king of Sodom.

b. It puts Abram’s victory in proper theological perspective.

c. Abram may be a brilliant military strategist and his bravery cannot be doubted but the victory was God’s!

d. Abram acknowledgment (giving a tenth of everything) demonstrated his humility.

e. Bera, though, has been humiliated in defeat, was trying to show himself as superior, generously allowing Abram to keep the goods.

f. To accept anything from a pagan king would be to give him the opportunity to suppose that his giving was responsible for Abram’s success (“I have made Abram rich”).

g. Abram also remembered his vow to the Lord (v 22) that he must honour it. h. Abram did what he did, even at a personal sacrifice, in order that he might be loyal to the LORD.

i. And Abram’s greatest victory is the victory over self-righteousness: he does not expect his Amorites allies to follow his standard of conduct but let them have their due. V. Conclusion

a. God is in control of history.

b. This chapter provides us with a divine commentary on the decisions made in Chapter 13. History weighs the decisions of men.

c. Abram’s faith is increasingly showing himself to be a faithful servant of God, like the Seed of the woman who one day would come, God’s great Servant, Jesus the Messiah, the son of Abraham.

d. As we look to Abram, may we be encouraged, but may we look beyond him to Jesus, the Author and Finisher of our faith.

Advantages in a Trial

The Preached WordBy Providence RPCSep 11, 2021